Health and Wellness: The United Methodist Church

Churches have exist­ed over time on Oc­racoke and address Spiritual wellness. If you attended the Easter Sunrise service on the beach, you will have experienced the collaboration between the Assembly of God Church and the United Methodist Church. Next month I will focus on the Assembly of God church. My intention is to give a brief glimpse into the history and service that these important institu­tions provide on Ocracoke.

The United Method­ist church as we know it today on School Rd. was dedicated July 4, 1943. Stella O’Neal, a native of Ocracoke reports that she was one of the first group of children to be baptized in the new church building. According to a history writ­ten by Philip Howard “The first record of a church on Ocracoke Island is in 1828 when the Ocracoke-Ports­mouth Circuit of the Meth­odist Episcopal Church was established…Over time two churches were built representing different Methodist organizations… In 1937 the different orga­nizations united to form the new Methodist Church. By 1943 both churches had been dismantled and a new building was constructed using much of the mate­rial and furniture salvaged from the older structures… many men and women in the congregation put in ac­tual working hours on the building construction.”

In the present day sanc­tuary, you will see a hand-made wooden cross on the altar which was made by Homer Howard and paint­ed gold by his wife, Aliph out of salvage from the ship on which the island na­tive, James Baughm Gaskill served and lost his life. You will see the dedication on the cross is in memory of James Baughm Gaskill, 3rd mate in the USS Maritime service. Also, the Bible on the altar, printed in 1633, was given by Dr. and Mrs. T.V. Bennett in memory of their infant son, Fletcher Murdock Bennett. The baptismal font and prayer desk were hand-made by members of the congrega­tion: the font by Mike Rid­dick and the prayer desk by Lawton Howard. The final merger happened in 1968 when the Method­ist Church joined with the Evangelical United Breth­ren Church to form the United Methodist Church. (for the entire history ar­ticle see www.villagecrafts­men.com/news102603.htm.

“Pastor Laura” as she is called says “I appreciate the seasons unique to Ocracoke in which the United Methodist Church experiences an opportunity to serve the whole world during the summer season and focus on our local community in the winter”. Laura Stern, who studied at Emory School of Reli­gion commented that this last winter the focus on community took the form of a se­ries on encountering God on Ocracoke . She particularly likes the many different back­grounds and walks of life that form the body of Christ in the church. Talking with several church mem­bers and attenders ranging in age from 30-80 years old, only a couple of people came from Meth­odist backgrounds, other people came from South­ern Baptist, Lutheran, Epis­copalian, United Church of Christ, Quaker, and Catho­lic. Naturally, a question I asked was “what brought you to this church?” How­ard Bennink, Lay Leader said “I wanted to give back to the church which gave so much to my children”. Phil and Jennifer Hamlin who direct the adult choir express how important it is to bring the joy of music to honor the Lord.

The church is provid­ing space for a cooperative English and Spanish 1:1 language program which Peter Vankevich has orga­nized, Peter says, “I love the community of the church”. Being from a Quaker back­ground I especially find the Taize-Style Service mean­ingful with its combination of music, meditation, scrip­ture and prayer. “I contin­ued my family tradition,” says Stella O’Neal who is the President of the United Methodist Women. This group of women provides everything from upkeep of the parsonage and church to community lunches and dinners and the an­nual November bazarre. In many local shops you can find their cook book. This last Christmas the women raised money for the Unit­ed Methodist Children’s Home. Outreach to both the local and wider com­munity takes many forms. There is a special bulletin board located in the en­trance of the Sunday school building for people to post community needs. Recently a visitation afternoon was organized to visit elderly or homebound in the commu­nity. There is support being given to help the minis­try of the United Method­ist General Board of Mission’s who work with ex-combatant children in Liberia in the form of money, education and par­ticipating in work projects. Leslie Gil­bert who has served as a Sunday School teacher over the years now is the Chairper­son of the Adminis­trative Council. She and many others described the youth programs with enthu­siasm. Pastor Laura is writing the Sunday School curriculum which is designed in a creative way: all ages study the same Bible story, the younger children drawing pictures and learning songs, the older children creating a skit, and then acting it out for the younger chil­dren. Many teachers help with the morning Sunday School for children 3 years old through 4th grade, and adults. For Bible lessons and fellowship youth 13 years old and up meet on Sunday evening. Please see the Bulletin Board page in the front of the Observer for specific times for all reli­gious services on Ocracoke.

Terrilynn Grace West lives and works on Ocracoke doing warm water massage therapy